Trollmas in Heaven
by SimplySummer
Summary: One-shot. Branch rolled his eyes, she just didn't get it. He let out a defeated sigh, she wasn't going to let this go. "Okay, I'll go, but just know that I'm not really in the Trollmas spirit." "Yay!" she squealed, jumping up and pulling him with her. "We can sing, and dance, and oh—maybe we can try that eggnog."


Just a small one-shot. Hope you enjoy :)

* * *

 _Oh, great…here they go again._ Branch thought as he wrapped his pillow around his head.

"I'm feeling that beat Suki!" Poppy exclaimed as she heard the familiar intro to the jingle bell rock, with a little DJ twist.

"Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle rock.

Jingle bells swing, and jingle bells ring." Poppy started.

"Snowin, and blowin' up bushles of fun,

Now the jingle hop has begun," Cooper chorused.

 _Could they be any louder? I can barely hear myself think. How can they be so Merry? Seriously?_ Branch thought as he went to turn up his pod T.V.

"What a bright time, it's the right time

To rock the night away," a familiar auto tuned voice chimed.

"Jingle bell time is a swell time,

To go riding in a one horse sleigh," Satin and Chanille added.

 _I think I may need to rebuild my bunker for times like this, at least it was soundproof._ He thought, as he still could hear the slightly muffled beat.

As the music went on Poppy was waiting to hear her favorite Blue troll's voice. When she didn't, she left the chorus to go look for her friend. _Why isn't he here?_ She wondered as she headed to his home at the bottom of the troll tree.

"BRANCH, BRANCH, BRANCH, BRANCH," She yelled as she knocked furiously, "you in there?"

 _Why isn't she singing. Didn't she start this awful song?_ "Yes, Poppy. I'm not coming out."

"Then let me in, oh wait," the door slammed open, "forgot you gave me a key. What's got you all cooped up?" she asked, closing the door.

"I'm not a Trollmas type of troll," he said as he rummaged through some blueprints on the table.

"Branch," she said as she laid a hand on his shoulder, "Trollmas is such a special time of year, I mean , can't you just feel the joy in the air. Everyone's so much brighter. And have you seen the Bergen's lately? They've taken this holiday and ran with it, just look at the town."

"Well, it's probably my _least_ favorite holiday," he said matter-of-factly as he shrugged her hand off his shoulder, "Why aren't you out there with your friends?" he asked turning towards her and crossing his arms.

"Well, I was missing my best friend. Songs just don't sound as good without your voice." This caused the blue troll to blush, and let out a sigh.

"Whatever, Pops." He added an eye-roll to try and hide the blush. Poppy giggled and grabbed Branch's hands.

"Branch, I'm not being sarcastic," this made him crack a smile, "This Trollmas is going to be the best one yet. I'm going to have you to celebrate it with. I know, maybe you can come to the troll tree lighting ceremony with me, it'll be a blast. Please?"

"Poppy," he started as he let go of the pink trolls hands; "I'm probably not the troll you want to spend Trollmas with. I'll just drag you down. This holiday makes most cheerful, but for me," he turned and looked to the ground, "For me, it's different."

"Well you're wrong," she said as she rounded him and grabbed his hand, leading him to the rose petal couch. "There's no-one I'd rather spend Trollmas with, and there's so much you'll love about this time of year. Like the decorating, and extra glitter, and have you seen the bakery lately. The Bergen's even came up with some new ideas like eggnog, and there's this thing they call mistletoe."

"Those things sound great, but Trollmas is that time of year where you're surrounded by friends and family. I haven't had those things for a really long time, Poppy. This may be the happiest time of year for most, but it's usually the loneliest time of year for me."

"But you've finally opened up to your friends. You have me, and I hope to someday be family." She blushed and he shook his head, "And you know, I have this special song I wanted to sing with you, and I can't do that if you're locked away in here for all the Trollmas festivities."

"You don't understand Poppy."

"No, I don't understand how you could be unhappy at the most magical time of the year. Just knowing that I get to spend it with you makes it the best Trollmas yet." A blush rose on her cheeks and she glumly looked down at her lap, _I don't think I make him as happy as he makes me_ , she thought as she sighed externally. A familiar hug time chime went off and she covered it with her hand. Branch placed a soft hand on her chin and gently tilted her head back up to look at him.

"Poppy, you don't understand because you have everyone here with you. You have all of your friends and family that you've spent every Trollmas with for the past twenty years. Scratch that, everyone but one." _Creek_ he thought as he grimaced. "I have you; I have the most cheerful troll in the village telling me, the town grump, that she wants to be my family someday." He took this chance to place a small peck on her forehead, "Why you would choose this troll of all trolls to intend to spend your favorite holiday with I can't understand. It's this holiday that makes usually makes me my greyest." He admitted as he let go of her to turn his gaze towards his toes in the mesh rug beneath the sofa. "I'm not gray this holiday because you helped me find my happiness again, but I'm-"

"Branch," she cut him off as she shuffled right next to him on the petal, she placed her laced her fingers between his, "I have the most skilled, devoted, and trustworthy troll beside me. I'd be foolish to not want to spend my most favorite time of year right next to you," she said as she landed a soft kiss on his cheek. "Please come to the troll tree ceremony with me?"

Branch rolled his eyes, she just didn't get it. He let out a defeated sigh, she wasn't going to let this go. "Okay, I'll go, but just know that I'm not really in the Trollmas spirit."

"Yay!" she squealed, jumping up and pulling him with her. "We can sing, and dance, and oh—maybe we can try that eggnog."

He chuckled at her enthusiasm; "pick you up at eight?" She smiled and quickly pressed her lips against his, giggling when she saw the shocked look on his face.

"It's a date. I have to go get ready!" She said letting go of his hands, zipping towards the door. Branch shook his head to try to pull himself from the blissful daze she left him trapped in, he touched his lips and smiled. _Maybe this Trollmas will be different_ , he thought hopefully. He went to his small fireplace and gently let his fingers glide over an old photo on the mantle. It was a dulling photograph of himself and his grandma making cookies their last Christmas together. _Maybe this holiday could be a joyful time again._

* * *

Poppy headed home quickly to find the perfect tree lighting outfit. She rummaged through her closet, by the time she picked an outfit her floor was covered in the rejects. She finally decided on a dark teal glitter gown, adding a perfectly matched bow as an accessory. _Still a couple hours left,_ the giddy troll thought, _I can make Branch a Trollmas card to pass the time,_ she giggled as she planned on the green and red glitter that would shoot out of it onto her date.

Branch cooked himself some dinner and tried to think positive about going to the ceremony. From one thing to another some old memories flooded him as he donned on a sky blue undershirt with a black overcoat. Last time he went to this thing his Grandma was by his side pestering him about the googly eyes he had on the Princess while she sang as the tree lit.. He remembered quickly denying any feelings besides that of friendship towards the pink troll. ' _If you say so, Branch,'_ he remembered his grandma saying as she chuckled. _'She's a Princess grandma, I can't think that way about her,_ ' he remembered muttering back _._ He quietly snickered at the memory, then frowned at the sudden ache that wrapped around his heart. _If she were here she'd be badgering me about what a gentlemen would do for this._ The thought drew a partial smile on the trolls lips as he headed out to find some winter flowers for a corsage. _I think those Daphne bhoula flowers I found are just near the river's edge, of course the Winter rose would be much too large for a small corsage-_ " he planned as he wondered into the forest.

 _This will have to do,_ he thought as he tucked the daphnes into a dark pink lace bracelet. Slipping the charm into his blue strands, he headed for the Queens door.

* * *

"You look _beautiful_ ," he complimented when he arrived at the Queens pod.

"Well, you look pretty fetching yourself. I have a surprise for you!" She excitedly pulled out her card and opened it for her date to see. " _All I want for Trollmas is you!"_ the card squeaked as the pink and blue figures hugged under a felt tree the star quickly erupted glitter onto an unassuming Branch. He blew the glitter out of his nose.

"How thoughtful," he deadpanned as he wiped his face. She snorted a bit trying to hold in her laughter. "I have something for you too," he said pulling the flowers from their hiding place in his locks.

"Oh, Branch these are my most favorite winter flowers! How did you know?"

"I didn't, the color just sort of reminds me of you." He smoothly wrapped the trinket around her wrist, "Although, they're not nearly as beautiful," he added softly feeling his cheeks got hot. He tucked her surprise in his hair and offered his arm. She laced her arm into his and the headed to the bottom of the troll tree.

Colorful lights wrapped around the trunk and into almost every limb of the tree, carefully avoiding the troll pods that hung from each one.

"Are we ready?!" King Peppy's question boomed over the crowd as he held the electric plug in the air. A monstrous applause with whistles and woos responded to the question. "Poppy, would you start the carol?" She nodded leaving her date on the side of the stage as she headed for the center.

"Oh Troll tree, Oh Troll tree, your leaves are so unchanging.

Not only green when summer's here, but also when it's cold and drear."

The crowd chorused back "Oh Troll tree, Oh troll tree, your leaves are so unchanging."

The King lit the tree as Poppy began the next verse.

"Oh Troll tree, oh Troll tree, you'll ever be unchanging.

A symbol of goodwill and love, you bring us such joy and glee."

The crowd finished the song with the unchanging verse and Poppy returned to her date. DJ Suki started a beat to a new song "Mistletoe" to match a new tradition the Bergen's started Biggie and Guy Diamond sang some lyrics.

"Isn't it amazing?" Poppy exclaimed as she stared in wonder at the tree before her. Branch was lost in the sight of her wonder. He longed for the feeling, but maybe she would help him find that joy again. A small tear fell from the blue trolls face.

"Not really, but you are. I'll be back." Branch said quickly trying to hide his face from Poppy, not wanting to ruin her evening. He made his way to a more silent corner of town to try to compose himself. He found an empty piano shop with a sign "NEW Troll size Baby Blue." Thinking some music would help him vent he went in to play a less joyful seasonal tune.

She silently followed his snow prints, stopping to greet a few faces in the crowd before joining him. "Branch, what is it?" She asked worried when she found him.

"That's a beautiful melody, I've never heard it before," she said when he didn't answer as she slid beside him she asked, "are there any lyrics."

"Yeah," _but I really don't want to sing them with you here_. He finished in his mind as he played.

"I love new songs," she tried to hint and he nodded no in reply, "Please?" She tried again.

"It's a downer," he admitted not wanting to ruin this night for her. He stopped playing to drop the issue, "Come on let's get back, people are probably looking for you." He advised placing a fake smirk on his face and offering his hand.

She simply ignored it and placed her fingers on the keys he was playing. Trying to play the notes proved difficult and he rolled his eyes in defeat.

"You're so stubborn," he said as he took over the keys. He played the intro through twice trying to think of a way out of this, but he couldn't think of anything good so he started.

"December hasn't changed, this town looks the same.

They still light that tree in the city square.

There's red, white, and green shining everywhere,

And I wish you were here, and I wonder

Is there snow falling down on the streets of gold;

Are the mansions all covered in white?

Are you singing with angels' silent night…I wonder

What Trollmas in heaven is like.."

He finished there figuring she got the just of the song. She simply wrapped him in a hug. "I'm so sorry Branch, I know how much you miss her." With that statement, he returned her hug, sort of needing it right now.

"Thank you," he said softly as she squeezed a little tighter in response. After what seemed like a lifetime they parted. "You know, grandma would be upset with me if she were here now. I'm not at all being a suitable date ruining your night like this." Branch joked lightly feeling a bit better now.

"I know this is hard for you, I shouldn't have pushed you. I'm sorry." She said feeling guilty, "But to be totally honest this is probably the start of the best Trollmas ever."

"Okay, your highness you can drop the sarcasm now. Let's get back to the party," he said as he helped her up keeping hold of her hand as they walked towards to door.

"You of all people should know when I'm being sarcastic," she said stopping, "I'm having the time of my life because I get to spend my favorite time of year with the most amazing troll in town. The troll who helped me find happiness in my darkest time is holding my hand right now. Whether we spend this day at a party or as just the two of us I could care less. You make me happy Branch." She admitted as she started moving towards the door again, "so where are we going because that card wasn't a joke. I could care less whether we go back to the party or go home. I just want you to be happy this Trollmas"

"Poppy." He said as stopped and quickly pulled her in for another hug, "You are my happiness."

"Finally," she said as she looked up to the green plant above them, "no matter which way were going to go, I knew we were going to end up here." She said with a grin as she released her hug and pointed above them.

"Is this that mistletoe the Bergens came up with?" He questioned.

"Yep. The new tradition is the two who end up underneath it together have to kiss." She said smugly as the blue troll blushed fiercely.

 _Maybe this holiday isn't so bad after all._ He thought.

...

The End.

* * *

It's been quite some time. I've missed this site. With graduating college and starting a new career in the medical field I've barely had time to read/write extracurricular-ly...Haha, I've missed this. That being said, I'm rusty! So constructive criticism is always welcome. Please comment


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